Studying Scotland
Scottish Place names – 3rd & 4th level
Overview
This learning and teaching idea aims to explore place names in Scotland providing the opportunity for learners to
develop skills in reading maps to walk common routes in their local area whilst exploring their built and natural heritage.
The context for learning uses Social Studies as its lead curriculum area. However there is a strong Literacy and English
focus allowing learners to research, talk and write about their environment.
This learning and teaching idea has been prepared for learners working within third and fourth level and aims to teach
skills in analysis, research and communication. This strong responsibility of all link (Health and Wellbeing and
Numeracy) encourages learners to keep themselves safe and apply their knowledge of problem solving and calculation
in a real life situation.
This learning and teaching idea further exemplifies the following learning opportunities:
 Using a variety of maps to compare changes in place names over time
 Presenting local maps and the stories attached to them
Social Studies Experiences and
Outcomes
I can make links between my current and previous
studies, and show my understanding of how people and
events have contributed to the development of the
Scottish nation.
SOC 3-02a
I can explain the development of the main features of
an urban area in Scotland or elsewhere and can
evaluate the implications for the society concerned.
SOC 4-10b
I can use a range of maps and geographical information
systems to gather, interpret and present conclusions
and can locate a range of features within Scotland, UK,
Europe and the wider world.
SOC 3-14a
I can use specialised maps and geographical
information systems to identify patterns of human
activity and physical processes.
SOC 4-14a
www.educationscotland.gov.uk/studyingscotland
Responsibility of all areas, which could
be addressed in this learner journey:
I know and can demonstrate how to travel safely.
HWB 3-18a / HWB 4-18a
I am developing my understanding of the human body
and can use this knowledge to maintain and improve
my wellbeing and health.
Interdisciplinary opportunities

Literacy and English (exemplified)
HWB 3-15a / HWB 4-15a
I can use a variety of methods to solve number
problems in familiar contexts, clearly communicating my
processes and solutions.
Other opportunities may be fostered through:

Science – The study of Earth’s
materials and how characteristic
features of the environment have
formed.

Technologies – Creation of website to
share findings and information.
MNU 3-03a
Having recognised similarities between new problems
and problems I have solved before, I can carry out the
necessary calculations to solve problems set in
unfamiliar contexts.
MNU 4-03a
1
Studying Scotland
Scottish Place names – 3rd & 4th level
Interdisciplinary Learning
Interdisciplinary learning is an important element within Curriculum for Excellence. It constitutes one of the four contexts for learning in 'Building the Curriculum 3':
o
o
o
o
Ethos
Life
and
and
ethos
life of
of the
the school
school as
as aa community
community
Curriculum areas and subjects
Interdisciplinary Learning
Opportunities for personal achievement
All of these contexts are crucial if the potential of children and young people as successful learners, confident individuals, effective contributors and responsible citizens is
to be fully developed.
Interdisciplinary learning enables practitioners and learners to:

Make connections across learning through exploring clear and relevant links across the curriculum.

Support the use and application of what has been taught and learned in new and different ways.

Provide opportunities for deeper learning, for example through answering big questions, exploring an issue, solving problems or completing a final project.

Focus on curriculum
curricular areas
areaswhere
wherethere
thereare
arecoherent
coherentlinks
linksand
andan
anopportunity
opportunitytotodeepen
deepenunderstanding.
understanding,(Not
whilst
all building
curricular
onareas
children
working
and young
together
people’s
or suspension
prior
of
timetables.)
learning.
A few experiences and outcomes should be carefully selected in relevant curriculum areas. It is important to build children and young people’s next
steps in learning into planning, to avoid a ‘one-off project’, which is not connected to prior learning.
On the next page, the summary of learning opportunities builds on the overview document and exemplifies a possible interdisciplinary approach, which could be used
when
This
directly
the context
and the experiences
outcomes
explored.
suggested
learning
opportunities
explore
only aspects
of the
On theplanning.
next page,
thelinks
summary
of to
learning
opportunities
builds on theand
overview
document
and These
exemplifies
possible
starting
points for an
interdisciplinary
approach,
experiences
and
outcomes
identified.
However,
each
experience
and
outcome
should
be
revisited
in
other
ways
and
contexts
for
depth
of
learning.
which could be used to support planning. This links directly to the context and the experiences and outcomes explored. These suggested learning opportunities explore
only aspects of the experiences and outcomes identified. However, each experience and outcome should be revisited in other ways and contexts to ensure depth of
learning.
www.educationscotland.gov.uk/studyingscotland
2
Studying Scotland
Scottish Place names – 3rd & 4th level
This interdisciplinary approach shows some possible learning opportunities when the experiences and outcomes listed below are connected. These
ideas are starting points and could be used to support planning, depending on your context. In this example we have highlighted a lead curriculum
area, however, other curriculum areas can be included where relevant, based on needs and interests.
LITERACY AND ENGLISH
SOCIAL STUDIES
Write a description of your route home, including
the street names and commonly used unofficial
names of landmarks and buildings.
Use local maps to sketch your route home.
Identify features of the natural and built
environment e.g. important buildings, monuments
and green spaces.
Use the Ordnance Survey Guides to study the
meaning of place and street names.
Interview local people about place names,
official and unofficial, and create podcasts on
school website using the interviews.
Prepare a class talk about your route home and
the meaning of the place names on the route.
Learners may also include stories about the
names of buildings and streets where
appropriate.
Produce a leaflet for local route with annotated
photographs and information.
Create a website about your town or local area
with all leaflets included as downloadable
documents.
HEALTH AND WELLBEING ACROSS
LEARNING
When planning your routes home,
consider road safety and other issues.
Carry out a risk assessment.
Compare historical and contemporary maps
looking particularly at changes in place and street
names. Explain why the names have changed.
Are any other names used unofficially by the local
people?
Walk the routes and calculate average
calories burned and the link between
exercise and energy.
Consider the layout of local settlements and
describe why they have been built on these sites.
Draw on environmental and historical factors.
NUMERACY ACROSS LEARNING
Using Ordnance Survey maps, plan routes on
maps (direction and distance travelled).
Solving calculation problems:


average calories burned
speed, distance and time to carry
out the walks.
Display routes on an interactive map.
Produce leaflet for local walk drawing attention to
the environmental factors studied.
RELEVANT EXPERIENCES AND OUTCOMES
SOC 3-02a, 4-10b, 3-14a, 4-14b.
LIT 3-14a/ 4-14a, 3-25a/ 4-25a, 4-24a, 3-26a/ 426a, 3-10a/ 4-10a
www.educationscotland.gov.uk/studyingscotland
3
HWB 3-18a/ 4-18a, 3-15a/ 4-15a
MNU 3-03a/ 4-03a
Studying Scotland
Scottish Place names – 3rd & 4th level
Overview of learning in lead curriculum area
Possible prior experiences
Learners will have used a range
of maps.
Possible learning
opportunities in lead
curriculum area
Learners will have knowledge of
their own local area.
Create a sketch map of your
route to school.
Learners may know the meaning
of the name of their town.
Interview a range of people in
the local community, asking
questions about places that do
not appear on maps and/or have
an unofficial name. Find origins.
Learners may not have looked at
a map of their local area.
Learners may not know the
names of all the streets they
travel on to school.
Learners may not know the
meaning/origin of the street/place
names on their journey.
Skills for learning, life and
work
Literacy – selecting and using
information from various sources
e.g. maps and interviews
Communicating – oral and
written
Working with others – create
booklet
Identify features of the built and
natural environment. Learn the
Gaelic and Scots elements for
those and translate some of the
place names in the locality using
this information.
Learners may not have used a
pedometer or similar device.
Take photographs of places on
your route to school and
annotate them using your
knowledge of place names.
Learners may not know the
distance they travel to school.
Create a booklet about the local
place names.
www.educationscotland.gov.uk/studyingscotland
Creating – planning and
organising information to make
booklet
4
Possible evidence
Do – sketch map
Make - a leaflet describing the
journey
Say – recordings/transcripts of
interviews about place names
with relatives
Say – final talk in groups, using
record sheets
Write – notes to accompany/
support a talk/presentation
Make – a record of the distance
of the walk
Studying Scotland
Scottish Place names – 3rd & 4th level
Learning opportunity A: Description of route home including the street and other names, official and unofficial.
Possible Starting Points
Resources
Map resources:
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&tab=wl
You may wish to consider
OS guides to Gaelic and Scots place name elements
http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/oswebsite/docs/ebooks/guideto-scots-origins-of-place-names.pdf
http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/oswebsite/docs/ebooks/guideto-gaelic-origins-of-place-names.pdf
 providing a range of maps for analysis and discussion.
 creating a word bank of descriptive vocabulary from
English.
 creating a word bank of descriptive vocabulary from
Gaelic and Scots.
Glossary of Scots place name elements:
http://swap.nesc.gla.ac.uk/database
 providing key information about important landmarks
and buildings in the immediate area of your school
catchment.
Word Banks: http://www.wordle.net/
Skills
Analysing map data
Learning
Researching origins of place names from different languages
Learners can:

analyse a range of maps, gathering and recording
information about places.

use specialist vocabulary, spelling unfamiliar words
correctly to produce a description of their route home.

Communicating information about their own place using
appropriate vocabulary
Possible evidence
Written text including descriptive passages and annotated
images, recorded discussion regarding names of the key
buildings and landmarks in the village/town.
identify corresponding terms in Gaelic and Scots.
www.educationscotland.gov.uk/studyingscotland
5
Studying Scotland
Scottish Place names – 3rd & 4th level
Learning opportunity B: Use the Ordnance Survey Guides to study the meaning of place and street names.
Possible starting points
Resources for Learning
You may wish to consider
Sourcing photographs from different locations in the UK:

looking for an authoritative source document which
analyses place names in your local area.
http://www.geograph.org.uk/
Investigating place names:


gathering photographs which highlight features of the
landscape, and making links with place names.
http://www.spns.org.uk/
providing a glossary of commonly used place name
elements from different languages.
Skills
Learning
Learners can

make links between the natural and built environment

understand how the natural environment influences
human activity and therefore place names
www.educationscotland.gov.uk/studyingscotland
Analyse the meaning of place and other names relevant to
their journey home.
Analyse place names using their knowledge of component
parts in Gaelic, Scots and other languages.
Possible evidence
Dictionary of place and street names in the local area,
recordings of learners analysing place names in the local area.
6